A: There are 4 components you should keep in mind about daily fluid intake.
1) Before exercise/competition athletes should consume 1 ½ cups to 2 ½ cups of fluid 2-3 hours before exercising. If athletes are training for more than 1 hour athletes should consume 1 ½ - 2 ½ cups of carbohydrate beverage before exercise. Example Powerade or Gatorade.
2) During exercise if competition last less than 60 mins. it is recommended that you consume ¾ - 1 cup of cold water every 10- 15 mins. During prolonged endurance exercise lasting 1 - 4 hours you should intake ¾ - 1 ½ cups of carbohydrate/electrolyte beverage every 15-20 mins.
3) After exercise immediate re-hydration is imperative for the next 6-8 hours. Immediately after exercise it is best to consume 1 - 2 cup of sports beverage/water and continue to hydrate yourself every hour
4) Regular daily intake should be at a minimum of 2 Liters of fluid, not including fluid consumed in any part of exercising.
Overall it is best to drink as much water in a day as possible
Q: WHAT TEMPERATURE SHOULD WATER BE AT?
A:During exercise cold water is an excellent choice because it leave the stomach faster than room temperature, it absorbed rapidly, and is well tolerated.
While eating it is a good idea to have luke-warm water rather than ice water because it will be easier on the digestion process.
Q: HOW MANY CALORIES DO I NEED TO EAT DAILY?
A: To get a very basic idea about how may calories should be include into your day you can use this simple chart.
Heavy Activities: walking uphill, basketball, climbing, football, soccer, hockey
Find what activity level your are in.
Use the table to find the corresponding calorie intake
Take you body weight and multiply by the calorie number in chart
Example: A female baseball player weighting 125lbs should be in taking about 2,125cals.
125 lbs x 17 = 2125
Q: HOW MANY MEALS A DAY SHOULD I EAT?
A: 5 – 6 small meals per day.
These meals should include a protein, fat and carbohydrate.
Also it is important to equally divide the 5-6 meals into your recommended calorie intake
Example: If you are taking in 2,125 cals a day each meal should approximately have 354-425 cals.
Q: WHAT ARE GOOD PRE EVENT MEALS?
A: Pre Event Meal (1 – 4 Hours before)
-1 ½ cup orange juice
-1 cup carbohydrate drink (Gatorade/Powerade)
-1 bagel
-2 tablespoons light cream cheese
When planning your Pre Event meal you are looking for a meal that is high in carbohydrates, moderate in protein, low in fat, and adequate in fluids and energy.
Ideally .5 – 2 grams of carbohydrate per pound should be included in a Pre Event Meal.
Q: WHAT ARE GOOD POST EVENT MEALS?
A: Post Event Meal (1-6 Hours after)
When Exercise Ends:
-1 cup carbohydrate drink (Gatorade/Powerade)
-1 bagel
1 Hour Post Exercise:
-1 cup fruit juice
-1 cup non-fat yoghurt
-Carrot sticks
-1 cup water
2 Hours Post Exercise:
- 2 cups carbohydrate beverage
5 hours Post Exercise:
-1 bean burrito
-1 small green salad with dressing
-1 Apple
-1 cup soft drink
-1 cup water
Eating after exercise is very crucial even if you are not hungry.Exercise decreases your appetite and depletes your glycogen stores. You should consume a gram of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight in the first hour after exercise. To figure out your weight in kilograms you must divide your weight in pounds by 2.2.
